My unique Christmas gift: a book of “Chasing Colors”

Little did I know that a book would come out of our New England chasing-colors trip in October. Using the photos and writings I posted on Facebook and in my blog, my daughters made a book by using Apple Mac laptop (Made on a Mac). A 100-page hardcover color book, very professionally bound, with a title of “Chasing Colors” and a subtitle of “Photography by Jer-Yuan, Katy, Janice and Joy Tsai. Written by JYT and KT”. They are the editors and good ones.

book cover

Here I show you some pages. If you’re interested you can buy it at amazon.com. It was priced at $25 so you can get a free shipping, and adding another five bucks I’ll autograph it. Order now, supply is limited! Just kidding :- )

We dined where the First Family did (at Bar Harbor)

When we arrived at Bar Harbor at noon time Wed (Oct.13), the first order of business was to taste the Maine seafood at Stewman’s Oceanfront Lobster Pond.  The photo is where we ate overlooking Frenchmen Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.  Bar Harbor is adjacent to Acadia National Park.

When in Maine, eat like a Mainer, nay, eat like a King; literally we did.  When the First Family vacationed here this summer, Stewman’s Oceanfront Lobster Pond was also where President Obama’s family dined.  I may not see things the way President does (I am talking about his comments about doctors, especially his $50,000 tonsillectomy), but we obviously have the same taste.

 Joy took this photo of Stewman's Lobster Pond, which shows a sign of "President Obama Was Here".

Katy cannot take her eyes off the scrumptious lobster

Let’s these photos serve as the preview of the post of what we have indulged and savored during our color-chasing trip. When in Maine, eat like a Mainer; do they eat lobster for breakfast?

Katy was supposed to look at the camera; but she just couldn’t take her eyes off the scrumptious lobster; she just couldn't help it. On the way back to Janice’s place the last night (Friday), Janice took us to the Ray’s Seafood (at Hampton Beach, NH) where Katy again had twin (two) 1 ½ lb lobsters.

This is Acadia: color-chasing trip #9

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Acadia! (As I said in other post that I acted as the tourist guide and I had to say something about each attraction.)

These photos are the attractions we visited and everything in between in the Acadia National Park: Bubble Pond, Jordan Pond, Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole, Bubble Rock trail, Sand beach, Otter Point/Otter Cliff, and all. We only visited a small section of the Mount Desert Island, of which Acadia is part of it.

Acadia was once a French colony in the 16th and 17th century. It is still the French Canadians favorite vacation spot; we heard people speaking French wherever we went. It was rightfully called Lafayette National Park in order to preserve its historical heritage on February 26, 1919 the same day the Grand Canyon became a national park. (As you know Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat, a general served in the Continental Army under George Washington)

It was changed to Acadia National Park 10 years later; Acadia means “heaven on earth” (you would agree once you visit); some say it was originally “Arcadein”.

I can name three wealthy and influential Americans contributed to the establishment of Acadia as the national park: George Dorr, Charles W. Eliot (yes, it was the then Harvard president), and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. It was the president’s son (also named Charles) who had the vision of preserving the the beauty of the Nature and who died young at age of 38. The Harvard president then used his position, prestige, and money to make his son’s dream come true. A father turned the loving memory to his son into a noble cause that greatly benefited the posterity.

These wealthy Americans used their money to buy the properties and then donated to the nation. We have seen part of the 57 miles of carriage roads that John D. Rockefeller, Jr. built and personally designed in many sections. We also saw a few of the 17 graceful stone bridges (photo, right) that blend in with the scenery.

Cog rail train took us to the top of Mount Washington: color-chasing trip #8

Paula first brought Mount Washington cog railway to my attention and it turned out to be the most thrilled and most memorable experience of the entire trip. The price of $62 per person is as steep as the slope for the cog rail (using toothed cog gear and rack rails), which has a maximum grade of 37.41%, which means if the train runs 100 feet it climbs 37.41 feet in height. How steep it is? While climbing the steepest slope, the ones sit on the front row of the railcar/coach would be 14 feet higher than those sitting on back seats.

After becoming lost near the summit of Mount Washington, Sylvester Marsh in 1852 (9 years before the Civil War) conceived the idea of building the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway train. Upon presenting his idea to the New Hampshire Legislature, they ridiculed him saying “might as well build a railway to the Moon.” The first train began to operate in 1869.

Scientific American had an article reporting the cog railway technology. I also wish I could read the article in Harper’s Weekly (1869), Life magazine (1958) and the New Yorker (1959).

After climbing about 3 miles above the clouds we’re on the top of Mt. Washington which has an elevation of 6,288 ft (1,917 m)—the highest peak in northeastern United States. The peak boasts the world’s highest recorded wind speeds; some of the photos tell which way the wind was blowing. It was not much windy when we “Go, tell it on the mountain”, but it was cold as hell.

When we got off the train it was so cloudy and foggy; no mountains to be seen at all, let alone seeing the entire New England. Then within ten minutes or so all clouds and fogs dissipated and disappeared just like a curtain was lifted and “the greatest show on earth” was on.

Janice and Joy kept saying we’re lucky enjoying the gorgeous weather and now “the lift of the curtain”; I told them this was all part of the “design” of the trip; of course, I enlisted the Man Upstairs for help, so it is indeed a divine intervention, so to speak.